Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds In 2019 (Wired and Wireless)

Tune out the world with great music from these best noise cancelling earbuds

Music is held dearly these days by a lot of people. That’s the core reason why headphones have become a part of our everyday life. Sadly a lot of people don’t even know how much they’re missing out on by using cheap wireless noise cancelling earbuds. Once you get a hold of the active noise cancelling earbuds with great sound quality, all those cheap headphones you tried will be a nightmare for you. In this article we are going to uncover the best in ear noise cancelling headphones of this era!

Sony is an extremely popular name in the world of headphones. They have a pretty big reputation to back them up. Let’s not forget that their WH-1000MX3 headphones have been pretty successful for wireless over the ear headphones. Sony is synonymous with premium almost audiophile-grade sound quality and amazing noise cancelling earphones.

All of that still holds up for their WI-1000X wireless earbuds. These are for the people who want the audio quality and isolation of the over-ear headphones (WH-1000MX3) but prefer something a bit easier to carry and wear. They are arguably the best noise reduction earbuds in the market right now.

These aren’t truly wireless earbuds like Apple’s Airpods. That style has been taking over a lot recently. Despite that, the WI-1000X look like something that would be comfortable in the gym or for vigorous activities. They have the around the neck design. These incredible headphones are actually pretty lightweight and easy to wear. Although, it should be noted that the neckband style isn’t for everyone.

How about sound quality? Well, it’s as good as you can get at the highest end. There is a lot of depth to the sound and the overall quality is well balanced. They will wow you with rumbling bass without the sacrifice of the mids and highs. They are perfect for music listening and will suit most people’s tastes.

As for noise cancellation, Sony has delivered once again. We’d still give the crown of best noise isolation to Bose, but Sony gets pretty close for most people. The noise cancellation does a fantastic job of blocking out most excess noise. They’re even a good fit for long flights. Battery life is a bit average at about 10 hours. However, we can overlook that slight fault because of the amazing sound quality and noise isolation.

The WI-1000X are promising wireless noise cancelling earbuds. It’s hard to find too many faults with these bluetooth earbuds. Sure, they are on the premium sector of the market. However, they actually live up to the price in terms of value. For people who want premium sound quality while on the move, they should just go for it.

Here’s a name you’ve probably never heard of before “TaoTronics”. The TT-EP002 from TaoTronic might have a silly name and questionable branding, but don’t overlook these amazing noise cancelling earbuds.

The main reason these made the list is that they are highly regarded by budgets buyers all over the globe. We decided to find out what makes these budget-friendly earbuds deserve that top rating.

It’s hard enough finding earbuds with decent noise isolation and good sound quality. It’s even tougher finding them at a decent price a lot of the times. The TT-EP002 aims to solve that dilemma. These look like your regular pair or in-ear headphones, but they offer a lot more for the price.

First off, the sound quality is absolutely amazing. It’s impressive that this type of sound quality is available at such an intriguing price. The bass could use a bit more work, but that’s easily fixable with an equalizer. The overall audio quality is crisp and balanced. Nothing sounds muddy or distorted, even at higher volume levels. For the price, it’s really hard to find a fault in audio quality with these noise cancelling earbuds.

Speaking of noise cancellation, these headphones have a small control module attached to tweak the volume and toggle active noise cancellation. To be perfectly honest, it left us wanting a bit more. In day to day tasks, it definitely gets the job done and dampens most of the background. But it doesn’t quite completely silence excessive noise. You can still pick up traces if people are shouting in the background. We would not recommend these for flights but for everyday use, they are not bad at all.

The TT-EP002 may not pack a lot of features, but for the price, they are hard to go wrong with. It doesn’t have an audiophile grade sound, and neither is the noise cancellation anywhere near as good as Bose or Sony. But we’re pretty sure that the average consumer won’t care about that stuff at a low price. These are an easy recommendation on a budget.

Bang and Olufsen, or B&O for short, is one of the luxury brands of headphones. Their headphones usually emit a glow that makes them feel very premium. Unfortunately, it’s sometimes difficult to justify the price.

The B&O BeoPlay E4 are an absolutely remarkable pair of in-ear style headphones. They are the second wired entry on our list. Aesthetically, they have a premium yet minimal look. The buds are made of stainless steel and the headphones are coated in a matte black finish. The cable is long and manages to stay tangle free. However, there is one very annoying design decision which we’ll get back to later.

Battery life is a non-issue as these are wired headphones. However, if you want to use active noise cancellation, then you’ll need to charge these up through the control module. On a single charge, these provide 20 hours of playback with active noise cancellation. Impressive numbers for sure.

Moving on to sound quality, it’s really as we’d expect from B&O. Sound quality tends to be on the bassier side of things, however, it’s not overpowering over other details. Mids and highs are well balanced and sound quality seems consistent throughout different genres.

Noise cancellation is also pretty good. It seems to drown out most background noise and particularly works well in environments with vehicles going by. As for when people are around, you still might hear muffled voices a bit.

The noise cancelling is controlled by a small control box that is located near the end of the 3.5mm cable. This is the annoying aspect we were talking about. It has some noticeable weight to it, so it seems to tug on the earbuds themselves.

Apart from that, we can’t find a real major complaint with these in-ear noise cancelling headphones. Sure, they cost a pretty premium but the sound quality is undeniably good. The noise cancellation is also great. Apart from the somewhat design flaw with the control box, the BeoPlay E4 are a great pair of earbuds.

For audiophiles looking for stellar sound quality and decent noise cancellation wrapped nicely in a premium package, the BeoPlay E4 is the way to go.

Jaybird made a lot of noise in recent years when they first arrived on the scene. Their focus has mainly been making great wireless headphones that hold up in vigorous exercise or training. They have had many iterations throughout their lineup, the X3 is one of them. The X3s have been around for a while now, but with a decreased price, they might be a better buy than ever.

The Jaybird X3s are wireless earbuds but these are the only ones on the list with passive noise cancellation. They look like they are made for sports and have a very comfortable fit. The design is unique with fins on the buds themselves for a better fit.

The charging cradle is what brings it down a bit. The battery is located in the in-line controls in the middle of the cable. Pins on the back of this control module snap on to the cradle to charge through USB. This means you need to keep the cable around. Which is a bit of an annoyance. We wish the X3s also had better battery life, they average at about 7-8 hours of playback.

As for sound quality, it’s nothing audiophile grade but gets the job done for everyday music listening. There is mostly a flat sounding signature consistent throughout listening sessions. This might be good or bad, depending on preference.

We wish these had some built-in active noise cancellation features. Unfortunately, the X3s rely on passive noise cancelling. Surprisingly, due to the somewhat bassy sound and snug fit of the earbuds, passive noise cancellation isn’t that bad. But built-in active noise cancelling would have made this an amazing package.

All of the above options might be a bit better than the X3s in some areas. However, when it comes to sports or other activities, it’s hard to beat them for the price. They’re not the highest end pair of headphones, but they are more than enough for people listening to music while working out.

Who knew Apple’s Airpods would be such a successful product. It seems a bit ridiculous now that so many were making fun of the design and now it's one of their most popular products. However, there aren’t a lot of Android alternatives. And very few with noise cancellation. Can the Sony WF-SP700N deliver in this sparse market?

The design of these truly wireless earbuds is pretty eye-catching, to say the least. They are bite-sized ear buds with a sort of elongated pill shape like design. They come in a lot of different colors so you can take your pick. The fit itself is very comfortable and the earbuds sit surprisingly well in the ear.

The WF-SP700N is one of two headphones on this list with sweat protection. Unlike they Jaybird X3, they actually have a certified PX4 splash-proof rating. There is even google assistant support built in.

Things start off pretty well for these earbuds but everything falls apart when we comes to audio quality. There just isn’t a lot of clarity and detail in sound here. The predecessors to the WF-SP700N lacked a lot of bass. The situation is flipped here. Sony has packed in so much bass into these earbuds to the point of being overpowered over the rest of the audio frequencies. This is pretty disappointing.

Other complaints include the incredibly low 3-hour battery life, which isn’t on par with other fully wireless earbuds. The noise cancellation still isn’t all that bad but it doesn’t do more than just dampening the background noise somewhat.

The WF-SP700N is a difficult recommendation. Not everything is bad though. If you want fully wireless capability and some form of noise cancellation, these are not the worst ones on the market. Some people might be even into the design itself.

Buyer’s Guide

Buying a new pair of in-ear headphones looks like a pretty easy task at first glance. This is because most people don’t pay attention to all the details. You might not even be aware of what amazing stuff you are missing out on. There are so many aspects to take into consideration but do not be confused. We’re here to help you out in this department and this brief guide should help you make the right decision.

Audio Quality

Obviously audio quality is the first thing that comes to mind when buying a new pair of in-ear headphones. Since we’re taking a look at earbuds in this article, things are a bit easier. We don’t have to deal with a tonne of different styles or types of headphones. Most of these earbuds have a conventional in-ear design. The main thing to look out for is the drivers and the actual frequency response from the headphones. It depends on the headphones themselves at what frequency range they can deliver. Obviously, this is a personal preference for a lot of people. Just be aware that a lot of these earbuds might focus on bass more and ruin the overall remaining sound a bit. So if you aren’t a bass heavy head then definitely investigate properly before making your final decision.

Noise Cancellation

Active noise cancellation works by detecting the incoming outside noise. It then creates a frequency of its own to counter that noise and reduces it. When it works, it’s absolutely amazing. Sadly, many manufacturers still can’t get it right. Bad ANC results in a hissing sound at the back when listening to music. ANC is definitely useful in flights, during transit in public transport or even at the gym. Enjoying your music without being interrupted is definitely a good feature.

Durability

A lot of these earbuds are built for specific use at the gym. Take a look at the Jaybird X3s for example. They might not have the best audio quality but they are designed to stay in the ear for long workout sessions. Other things such as water resistance are also important things to take into notice. You don’t want earbuds that constantly have issues and the ones that potentially break easily.

Comfort

A lot of people listen to music on hours on end. Most of the time these long jamming out sessions are interrupted by discomfort due to the earbuds themselves. Despite earbuds being lighter than over-ear headphones, this is still a big problem. Comfort is absolutely important so that you’re not fiddling with the earbuds all the time. Especially for runners or athletes, it’s important that the earbuds don’t fall out. Weight is also important for people who prefer something lighter.

Connectivity

Sadly the headphone jack is becoming a rare beast on smartphones. Wireless headphones are all the rage these days. Bluetooth audio has actually gotten a lot better and there are a ton of audiophile grade wireless earbuds out there. It’s still important to pay attention to connectivity though. You don’t want to run out of battery due to Bluetooth and then realize you don’t even have a headphone jack. Take that into consideration. Most earbuds will either use bluetooth or the 3.5mm jack.

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HeadphonesLab.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Additionally, HeadphonesLab.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links.